For many teachers around the globe, they have begun to endure a new challenge when it comes to teaching -- dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re used to having new classrooms every year full of new kids, but now many teachers do not have the chance to see and meet their new kids due to the rapid COVID-19 cases that continue to rise across the globe. Learning how to teach virtually is a struggle with accommodating not only what the school wants teachers to do, but also how to teach the kids in a brand new setting.
While many teachers are struggling to find the best way to properly help your children learn new things in mathematics, grammar, spelling, science, history, and more, they are also struggling with this new way of teaching. We think that it is essential more than ever to give back to teachers for all of the work they put into trying to teach kids new things during the pandemic. We know you want to give back to them, but how or what should you get them? We have found the perfect ways to give back to teachers and support them during the COVID-19 pandemic!
Are Teachers Considered to be Essential Workers?
Understand who can and should be considered essential workers during the pandemic
Even if the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t a worldwide issue, teachers should always be considered important essential workers. Teachers are responsible for helping children all around the world learn new topics and become engaged in learning every single day. While some may argue that they shouldn’t be considered essential workers during the pandemic, the White House has declared them essential in order to help the lives of young ones growing up, so they can continue to learn new information every day.
Whether teachers are in the classroom teaching, or teaching virtually, they are an essential part to children growing up. When they’re in school, children learn to become more well rounded individuals by increasing their knowledge in not only being book smart, but street smart as well, and learning how to behave in daily social interactions with other children-- especially the teacher with one-on-one tutoring, or even learning how to ask for help when needed.
Many teachers are considered to be essential workers because they are risking their health by working in the classroom to become closer to their students in order to give them a better learning experience. While it is difficult for many teachers to adjust to working virtually and setting up meetings with their students online, teachers that choose to work in person with students are striving to give them the best possible education, despite the health risks they might face.
What You Can Do to Give Back to Teachers During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Get Go ranks the most essential and thoughtful items to show you care about teachers
It is essential to give back to teachers not only during the pandemic, but always. Although it is more important now more than ever, we understand that it can be challenging to know what exactly to get them to show your utmost support. For not only are they helping to educate your children, they put themselves and their health at risk by coming in close contact with students, faculty, and other people during the day. We have ranked some of the best ways to show your support to teachers to help give you an idea on what to get them!
1. Make Them Their Own Personal Protective Equipment Kit
There’s nothing more important than the safety and health of others during the COVID-19 pandemic. With wearing face masks, gloves, making sure you have hand sanitizer on you at all times, and much more, there are so many ways to make your own personal protective equipment kit, or PPE kit for short. One way to support teachers during this time is making their own PPE kit to keep them safe while they’re interacting with students and faculty.
A PPE kit is essential because it helps contain many useful items to protect them from harmful substances, viruses, and many more dangerous things that could prevent a teacher from teaching. Making their own PPE kit can include items such as a face mask, gloves, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, and so much more to keep themselves clean and safe from contracting the virus. You can even make PPE kits to donate for not only the teachers, but the students that are attending in person classes as well to keep both the teachers and students safe from contracting COVID-19.
2. Donate to Fundraisers Supporting the Reopening of Schools
While for many schools, it is a difficult choice on whether or not kids should go back to classes in person, many schools have decided that it is best for the overall mental health of children to attend classes in-person by using different learning structures. For example, there is cohort structure, which is keeping certain kids together for the whole day with minimal interaction with other kids, hybrid structure, which is a mix of in person learning and online learning, or just strictly online learning at home.
One way to support teachers that are going back to teaching in person is to donate to the many different fundraisers that are around supporting the teachers that are going back, or even the ones that are strictly teaching online. By donating money to give kids laptops, building desks for children in China, building outdoor learning or play spaces for kids, and so much more, these little things can all add up and help to support teachers and the kids they educate around them.
3. Reach Out and Ask How You Can Help
Although it sounds very simple, just reaching out to local teachers in your area and asking how you can help them would mean the absolute world to them. Teachers are essential now more than ever and even something as simple as reaching out to a local school near you and asking how you can help, where you can donate to, or even just to tell a teacher that you support them and what they do for your children, nieces and nephews, and even cousins can be the best way to support them.
Many teachers are having a hard time dealing with this new way of teaching students, and their emotional needs and mental health are crucial. They could be on the brink of an emotional breakdown and it’s important to know that they are supported to help reassure them that they are in a field of work doing something incredible during the pandemic.
4. Make Them a Gift Basket Full of Goodies
Teachers appreciate the littlest things. Many parents give back to their teachers at the end of the school year with little gifts for their kids to give to their teachers to show that their efforts have supported them throughout the school year. With that being said, why not make them gift baskets, or gift bags with little gifts to show that they are important!
Even though gift baskets or bags can be a very simple gift that can be personalized for only one teacher, you can also make many other ones to support the teachers in nearby schools around you. These gift baskets can include personalized bags to carry all of their teaching supplies, their laptop, and other essential items like pencils, pens, notebooks, and much more.
Supporting Teachers is Essential During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Nothing shows you care more than giving back to teachers worldwide
There’s nothing more important than teachers. Even during an ongoing global pandemic, they have proven to be essential workers for their continued dedication to teach and help children learn both in person and online. Teachers are risking their lives every day to teach your kids, your neighbor’s kids, your nieces and nephews, and kids all around the world.
With simple things such as donating school supplies, donating to fundraisers that are both local and nationwide, making gift baskets to show your constant support, and even just reaching out and asking how you can help, or where you can donate will give teachers the reassurance they need to continue to do their job.
Teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic is a whole new experience for everyone, especially teachers. With learning new online formats and making plans on how to teach children that struggle with learning online, getting adjusted with teaching online, or even preparing to go back to the classroom and all of the new safety procedures that come with it, teachers are essential workers and their dedication should never go unnoticed. Make sure to give back to a teacher today during the COVID-19 pandemic to show your support today!
